REVIEW | The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber Concert, Curve Theatre

Photo Credit: Ellie Kurttz

The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber

Curve Theatre, Leicester

★★★★★

If there was going to be a production that summarised what the Curve Theatre is about entirely, then it was certainly The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. This evening collected together all of the magic that the Curve can create in that space, whilst putting on a true celebration of musical theatre under one roof. The production, directed by Curve’s own theatre director Nikolai Foster, it’s an unforgettable night for those hardcore theatre fans in the audience.

Whilst theatres across the country went dark for the last 15 months, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber was at the reigns making sure the show went on. The Lord has been at the forefront this entire time so it felt fitting at the Curve organised a production that celebrated not just his work in the industry, but celebrating musical theatre, artists and the brilliant city that Leicester is. The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber is the most timely love letter to the industry as it moves forward.

This 2-hour show takes us on such a impressive journey of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s incredible career, helped hugely by video inserts that enable him to tell us a little bit more about those beloved shows of his. The show is set on a magnificent scale in Curve’s well-organised socially distanced auditorium. The focus of our eyes lays heavily on the revolve, Ben Cracknell‘s lighting design and a smart use of props that dresses this space up on a magnificent scale, you forget you are just in Leicester!

Photo Credit: Ellie Kurttz

Photo Credit: Ellie Kurttz

The 8-people cast (Madalena Alberto, Jessica Daley, Tim Howar, Ria Jones, Karen Mavundukure, Shem Omari Jones and Tim Rogers) are the perfect collective to take Lloyd Webber’s music to the very heights of the Curve. Each of them was given numerous moments to shine in individual roles. Unfortunately Karen Mavundukure injured herself during the rehearsals who ended up performing from a wheelchair throughout the show. It was down to Assistant Director Jennifer Lane Baker to become an extra body on the stage and it did not at all impact on the fluidity of the production. Joining the cast on stage were a group from the Curve Young Company. The level of talent on that stage was superb and utilising the young company enabled us to see how important working with the community Curve believes it is for their theatre.

The night was jam-packed with a whole host of music from some of the most iconic musicals of our time, spanning musical genres from gospel to rock, opera to pop. We experienced songs from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Starlight Express, Evita before transporting us to The Lord’s latest work of Cinderella and School of Rock each brought to life with immense power behind every note. It was poignant to bring The Phantom of the Opera back into the Curve theatre, if only musically for the first time since its UK tour closed here last March. It was humbling to hear those beautiful notes echo through the space once again.

There were definite moments when the goosebumps came almost immediately during the show; Jessica Daley was impeccable as she moved through the heights of singing The Phantom of the Opera. I’d like to see her as Christine in the show soon. As well as this hearting Ria Jones sing As If We Never Said Goodbye was a gorgeous love letter to this industry after a difficult 15 months. Shem Omari is a 2020 Arts Ed graduate who gives a fantastic flavour for what we can expect from him in the future!

In my opinion, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber was the ultimate evening of live musical theatre and the “light at the end of the tunnel” as we return to theatres. A dazzling, gorgeous night of escapism from team Curve!

The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber is performing at the Curve Theatre until 19 Jun. You can find out further information on booking your tickets here.